Monday, January 09, 2012
2011 retrospectives look at criminal justice stories, x 10
See Jordan Smith's Top Ten Criminal Justice stories of 2011 at the Austin Chronicle, which has some crossover but quite a few differences (in part due to geographic focus) from Grits list of the ten biggest Texas criminal justice stories of the year. The website The Crime Report published a similar ten-stories list with a national focus. Relatedly, Jordan Smith also has a top-ten list of the biggest marijuana-related stories, and Phil Smith from Stop the Drug War has a list the top ten national drug-war stories. A good set of links to have if you like your news retrospectives to come in multiples of ten.
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11 comments:
Grits, No post on the new TJJD executive director??
4:546, I guess I have to agree. This story makes that all the more interesting. It was one of the top stories of 2011, but no mention of what might be one of the top stories for 2012.
I'm guessing there is concern that has been mentioned about personal attacks, or just personal comments altogether.
As someone who counts on Grits and his blog for being in the loop when it comes to state juvenile justice issues, it is also concerning that there is a choice not to post important information regarding criminal justice issues.
What would y'all have me say about it? You clearly don't need me to receive the news, so I'm not worried you're less "in the loop" for me not having written about it.
The main reason I haven't done so is I don't particularly have anything to say about Cherie's hire. After Vicki Spriggs went to CASA, it seemed like a fait accompli. Also, I don't have the bandwidth to cover juvie stuff like I did for a while when I was unemployed, and don't think it helps anybody for me to write on topics where I can't offer an informed opinion. Sorry to disappoint.
That is why I check in on your site several times a week. You are honest and thoughtful, not just blahing your opinion around! Thanks.
What is interesting, however, is that Cherie has not made any statements that I know about. She usually posted something about what was happening in Austin. A little blood-letting going on? We shall see.
Thank You Scott for all that you do. I and several other professionals read you daily for your insight into our world. We even discuss what we read and whether we feel affected by it or not. I guess we are Grits junkies. So Thanks
GFB
I wish you would keep the TJJD transformation on front page.
On the other hand, all the TYC dung flinging that just goes on and on drags down the professional contributions. Seems that no matter where the juvei strings start, they all end up at the same place. I can understand choosing to steer away from hosting another zoo-monkey-dung-flinging contest.
Grits. Maybe it isn't that we can't "receive" the news from other sources, it is that the insight offered through your blog and the other posts goes beyond the news.
The fact that this was a fait accompli - thanks for making me look that up - is news that no one else talks about.
Thanks for the coverage you do give to juvenile justice, and here is to hoping it continues.
I'll try to do what I can, 8:03, but also keep in mind that my inability to provide analysis "beyond the news" is the biggest reason I'm not writing much about juvie stuff in the first place.
Thanks for the kind words, though.
Cherie has allowed young inmates to curse, hurl objects (or whatever) at and assault state workers. She has prevented staff members from maintaining order or applying sanctions. Not a lot of people are bothered by this, I'm afraid.
Not many people seem to consider what effect this has upon these young men and women. If they are allowed to indulge themselves in this manner, what will they be like when they are released to our cities and towns?
People would be more bothered by it, 2:58, if anybody provided a shred of proof behind those allegations instead of posting them repetitively and anonymously in every juvie justice string.
The fact of the matter is, the exact same complaints were made about TYC in Grits comments long before Cherie got there - "they won't let staff discipline kids" has been a constant, whining complaint from some anons since the moment I began covering juvie stuff, with the brief exception of the "Spray 'em first" era under Bronco Billy Humphrey, and all he did was cause successful lawsuits to rain down on the agency over excessive force. Plus, it should be noted, far more TYC staff complained about those policies while they were in place than ever affirmed the kind of claims that you're making.
So unless you've got more than vague, unsupported allegations (and if you do, email me - documentation, not anecdotes - if you want to keep it private), why don't you find a new hobby horse and give Cherie a chance to get started before you launch some concerted, cowardly anonymous comment campaign to bring her down?
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